Daily Republican., 1887-04-12
TERRIBLE ENcOUNTER.
Seven mem OF One Family Ktlied-Wal-
ter ,Ridgely I'm Bed RscupsrntiDg

Seven mem OF Que rsmily Ktlisd-wal
ter ,Ridgely I'm BED RscupsrntiDg
A special dispatch from Texarkana
AK, says: Walter Ridgtly, havanl
Killed seven of one family Of Tsxni
|desperadoes, is now In bed recuperAtinI
from the injuries received during hi
successive encounters with seven MUIR
phys.
The Rideely farm is eighteen mile
north Of hore, and what Is thought IN b.
the final chapter OF series of Tragedies
|extending over . period OF some sil
weeks was enacted here last night, full
doia ails Of which are now at hand. Thil
was the third and most desperate OF {
series Of affrays.
On or about March last . st. Louil
drummer crossed Red river ut Rope
mey or . etore, near Ridgely' q farm, tn,
two men In charge OF the ferry chasg
ing him fifty cents ferriage. The mex
day he returned and WAS recrossed
when the ferrymen demanded S5 fer.
rage. Tho drummer demurred ct thii
|exorbitant charge and the boatmen re
tained his sample cases. All went &C
Ropemeyer's store, where they found q
no IN bcr of neigh boring farmers, among
whom WAS Walter Ridgely, who Ia.
sisted that the ferry should aocep,
the fifty cents and give mp the sample
cases. A quarrel and fight ensued be
tween Ridgely and the ferrymen, in
the co1rss OF which Ridgely was com
PEELED to shoot them both In self.de.
fence.
Two kinsmen Of the dead men from q
not distant neighborhood soon appeared
heavily armed and gave out their In toll
tion to kill Ridgely on sight They
fred upon him from ambush at dusk,
killing his horse. The would.be Assas.
sins supposing Rldgley dead lsft cover,
and coming within q few feet were
both shot dead BY him. Ridgely es.
capped without o scratch.
Three other members Of the Murphy
family soon appeared in the neighbOr
hood xvowiDg their purpose OF avenaing
their dead kinsmen. For the past three
weeks Ridgely has scarcely left his
house, but has kept sharp watch. On
Friday morning at 2 O'Clock Ridgely
heard . disturbance In his barn. He
quietly arose, took M o couple Of large
pistols, and calling upon Two Of his
men TO follow, started toward the stable.
When about half way between the
house and stable he was fred upon from
behind . wagon In the barn ard, the bul.
lot going through his hat and knocking
u of. Ridgely dropped to his knees
and dred one OF his rsvolvers at what
ho supposed to be the man who shot at
him. The result of this shot was yell
and an oath, and the man dropped 10
the ground. RidRely then arose and
fer the wagon, but had gone bu.
D few steps when In front of him tha
report OF two Rurs was heard at once,
and two rnen advanced upon him, firing
as they came, he returning the fire At
their third or fourth shot Ridgely 70.
ceived ball In his left arm, rendering
lt useless, but st the eame time another
of his assailants dropped before his fire.
As he fell, however, he sent a ball crash.
ing through Ridgely's right breast, W no
N turn fell also, but raised himself
lpon hts side and fired upon the remain.
ing man with such good aim that he
brought him down. By this time the
nan who had shot Ridgely In the breast
'aised bimself mp on his elbow and was
n the act OF firing when well-directed
hot from RidRely' g guns struck Linn in
he head, killing him instantly.
The household had by this time be
,ome thoroughly aroused, and when
he firing ceased several Of the farm
lands ventured out and carried Ridgely
nto the house and dispatches mes
euger for a physician. Ridgtly then
lirected bis men 10 go out and seq II ali |
hree OF the men we're dead. II wasI
ound that the two wio uere last en-
'aged were dead, but the one who
pened the battle was still alive.
sh2ely gave orders that tho latter be |
,rought into the house and given atten
ion. The men obeyed reluctantly, in |
istirg to Ridgely that he permit them
o finish him then aBd there.
mo, boys. He is hurt. know he |
Fled to dc me. but got my work In
rst. 1 guess he's got enough of 1t; dol
% say; bring him In and lAt the doc
or soc IL no can do him nny good I"
ne maz was put to bed, but died with.
n an hour.
When the doctors arrived and ex.
mined kidgely's wounds they at Il rat
aid be would die. He has three wounds
-one in The right breast, one in the left
rm and the other Just under the lsfti
houider blade. Ridgely refused to
axe chloroform, never losing conscious.
ees, while durir g an hour or more OF
rooing the balls in the breast and
honlder were located and removed.
he paiient was resting easily at last
ocouhte, and his wounds will not prove
atai. The doG,ors say he will be out
gain In couple of weeks.
The three men killed proved to be the
Ast OF the Murphy family. They have
,nR been terror In Northwest Arkan.
~, Forthesst Texas and a large part
ineian Territory. and it wonid per
sps be difficult 10 end ia any couptryI'
even more dreaded or desperate mtn
nan tIe seven disposed OF by Ridgely.
lncs tha killing RidgeIy's house hae
cen crowded with neiehboTs aud
riends dscongratulatina him upon havingj
10 the cou utry of this lswless band.
hid2eiy is man of fine intellect or q
Ieii educated. He is young, infiuen-
lsi and wealthy aud never INDUCES in
drinks. He says no man
an nave a'GreateI aversion to the shed
ing or human blood than himself, andI
nat the plain necessity to preserve hisi
wa Iifc compelled him to take the lives
ms assa1lants. He says also that i'll
nero should turn up any more relatives
! iriends Of the family who want any
MS medicine he will acoommoda ate
ION III soon as he gets on his feet. i
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